REALITY CHECK: The Only Difference Between Joe Stack And Osama Bin Laden Is That Bin Laden Was Successful

More stunning than the news that a domestic terrorist flew a
plane into a building today is the fact that some people regard
him as a patriot.

Here's just one of many such examples we've received today:

"Regarding your article characterizing the "manifesto" of Joseph
Andrew Stack as an insane manifesto, I have to disagree.
His method of registering his complaint was suspect but the
underlying truth of his statement in whole cannot be argued. "

Joe Stack's "method" was brutal and murderous. He
deliberately flew a plane into a building, apparently with the
intention of killing Americans. That he also had some
thoughts about the appropriate size of government and taxes is
irrelevant. (Who doesn't?)

At risk of further agitating those who persist in viewing Stack
as some sort of champion of liberty, we hold these truths to be
self-evident:

Joe Stack was a terrorist

The only difference between Joe Stack and Osama Bin Laden is
that Bin Laden was successful

Anyone who vents rage at a "government" by attacking an
office building is--in addition to being a terrorist--a nutcase

The only sympathetic defense of Stack's behavior--and one
possible difference between him and Bin Laden--is that he was
insane